Chemical Implications of apo-8, 6' Carotendial versus Intact Lycopene on Mechanism of Enhanced Cell-cell Communication and Apoptosis Induction in Breast Cancer Cells.

Investigation on carotenoids and its cleavage products is crucial to combat the development of chronic diseases, including cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of lycopene oxidative products versus equivalent concentration of lycopene (LYC) on major molecular events of cancer cells (MCF-7). Primarily, LYC-oxidized products were generated chemically, then collected its rich fraction. Based on cell-based assays, the antiproliferation potency of rich fraction of chemically-oxidized lycopene (COL) identified as apo-8, 6' carotendial was compared with LYC. Interestingly, the inhibition of cell migration by COL strongly demonstrated anti-metastatic activity. Further, the increased connexin-43 expression confirms enhanced gap-junctional communication activity of COL than LYC and control. Fortunately, apo-8, 6' carotendial did not affect normal breast epithelial cells. We anticipated that, the chemical properties of apo-8, 6'-carotendial is similar and mimic a model compound acrolein (α, β-conjugated aldehyde) which is involved in Michael addition/Schiff base formation with specific amino acids and regulates redox signaling, reactive oxygen species sensing and cellular buffering. The chemistry of apo-8, 6' carotendial reveals a greater insight into the mechanism of selective inhibition of cancer cells proliferation. In this context, speculations of putative action of lycopeneoids through chemical biology approach facilitate greater insights in tandem with synthetic chemistry.